


she sleeps with demons by her feet

by red_streaks



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Season 3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-11 16:52:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4444187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_streaks/pseuds/red_streaks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"“Please, Mom? It might bring her here faster, and she can’t be alone during the night.”</p><p>And she really can’t deny him anything, (not because she cares deeply for the blonde and wants to actually show her her affection, she mentally scoffs) so she pretends to consider this for a second. </p><p>“Very well,” she sighs. “How do I,” she waves a hand around, “go about this?”</p><p>Henry grins and starts talking."</p><p>Emma struggles with babies, death, and too many memories. Regina becomes her savior.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. red-rimmed monster eyes

**Author's Note:**

> I know I keep throwing stories like I don't have eight others to update but I can't stop writing okay, please bear with me??
> 
> This one's set after Zelena is defeated, no Frozen arc.
> 
> Let me know what you think, thanks for reading!

_can Emma spend the night @ our place tonight??_

 

Regina frowns down at her phone and drums her fingers next to her glass of water. Henry is supposed to be in math class right now, struggling and complaining about factors, not worrying about where the Sheriff sleeps. She considers not answering until he’s on break but she can’t help the way her curiosity spikes at the mention of Emma.

 

_Why?_

 

He knows she’s going to say yes anyways, can’t refuse him anything since he remembers her, calls her Momma and drinks hot chocolate with her in the mornings. She just needs some information until she plays the role of reluctantly letting Emma stay the night.

 

_Please._

 

Her fingers stop their movement and she types out her quickest message yet. 

 

_Yes. Details soon._

 

It isn’t about pretending not to have a soft spot for the blonde, (which only exists because Emma gave her the greatest gift of life in their son and sometimes she brings by extra chocolate ice cream to the mansion) it’s about the urgency in Henry’s messages and the lack of information that has her asking for more. 

 

Ruby sets her breakfast in front of her, a stack of apple pancakes, and wipes down the table before settling a pot of coffee down. She’s about to ask the brunette if she knows anything about Emma because the truth is Regina hasn’t seen the blonde since she dropped Henry off four days ago, ragged looking and stumbling over nothing, when the blonde in question enters the diner.

 

Regina’s confused by her presence, because as loud and rambunctious as Emma always is, she doesn’t usually bang doors open and come through them looking dead-eyed and tired. She has to admit the Sheriff looks absolutely dreadful under the beanie she’s wearing, a thick blue knitted hat that makes her head look bigger than it is. Her eyes are red and drooping despite it almost being 10 a.m., a time she’s usually out patrolling, waving at people and stopping to talk to a few. 

 

Before she has time to keep analyzing Emma’s appearance, the blonde drags her body over to the counter and slumps unceremoniously over a stool, taking off her beanie and resting her head against it on the table.

 

Regina looks on as Emma stays still for a second before motioning for a coffee, her wave weak. Ruby rushes to her side and after a quick exchange that involves Ruby shaking her head and patting Emma twice, she leaves only to be replaced by Granny.

 

Regina has a split second of indecision before she’s trying to balance her plate, coffee, utensils and her bag without dropping anything, deciding to sit next to the apparently dying blonde. She’s settling down her plate next to her when she catches the last of their conversation.

 

“It’s only for a couple of nights, and I’ll move back quickly. Just one room, please. Away from Hook’s room.” Emma shudders and looks at Granny with wide puppy eyes, who is looking disapprovingly down at Emma. Regina knows she’s asking for a room to stay in, and thinking of the blonde sleeping anywhere near the pirate, she finds herself speaking.

 

“That won’t be necessary, Sheriff. You’ll be staying with me.” Placing the last of her items next to Emma, she ignores Emma’s whiplash of a turn and the surprised rise of her eyebrows. 

 

Eugenia simply looks knowingly at Regina over her glasses and smirks before leaving. 

 

“W-what?” Emma stutters and finally sits upright.

 

Emma’s hair, which normally falls straight and curls at the edges, (not that Regina takes note of how the Sheriff usually styles her hair) is now tied up in loose curls that fall softly around her face. Regina feels a tug at the back of her heart, an unexpected jolt of joy at seeing Emma in her curls again and she flushes at the ridiculous notion of feeling anything for such a simple, insignificant thing.

 

She clears her throat to distract herself from such thoughts and focuses on Emma’s tired eyes instead.

 

“You’ll be staying with me. Henry’s already cleared it with me.” She smirks at how easily it is to fluster Emma, her cheeks flushed a nice rosy red that makes Regina’s blood thump loudly in her ears.

 

Emma shakes her head far faster than she should, gripping the edges of the counter. “No, that- that’s really sweet, Regina but I can’t.” She doesn’t meet the brunettes eyes, her eyes are focused on a spot distinctly over Regina’s eyebrow. 

 

Regina waits for an explanation and when none comes she rolls her eyes and asks, “And why not? Your son wants to help and you’re turning him down?” It’s a low blow and she knows it by the tightening of Emma’s grip on the counter but she’s focusing on how red her eyes shouldn't be and how she’s slumping over her seat. Emma will take the offer even if it will kill her, a room at Granny’s won’t do what Regina’s bed can.

 

“ _Our_ son.” Emma corrects impatiently, rubbing a hand down her face. Regina bites back the urge to smile. “And no, I don’t want to let him down, but I just _can’t_. I’ve got the night shift anyways, so maybe another time?” 

 

Emma finally looks up at Regina and begs silently for her to drop it. She straightens her spine and casually picks up her fork, digging in to her pancakes.

 

“The night shift, in the state you’re in? I don’t think so, Henry will have my head.” It’s an exaggeration but Emma doesn’t need to know that. 

 

The blonde raises her eyebrows and even in her tired stateRegina knows she can see right through her. Green eyes squint at her as she places a forkful in her mouth, casually wrapping her lips around her fork. The eyes shift easily to her mouth and Regina quickly works the fork from in between her lips.

 

“I’ll be fine. Besides, why do you want me at your house so badly?” Emma settles her head against the counter again, waggling her eyebrows.

 

Regina barely flushes but wipes at her mouth with a napkin to hide it. Emma looks too pleased for her own good, so Regina angrily picks up her coffee and bids her time, not fond of being caught having _concerned_ feelings for the blonde.

 

“I don’t. _Henry_ does.” She nods along with her words to make the point clear, but Emma rolls her eyes and merely says, 

 

“Uh-huh.” She snags a cut-out piece from Regina’s plate and chews happily, her head still resting against her beanie. Regina pretends not to notice for both their sake’s but places the plate closer to Emma.

 

“Why do you need a place to stay for, dear?” Regina tries to catch her off guard after a few moments, Emma stealing the larger pieces Regina cuts out.

 

Emma closes her eyes briefly, still laying on the counter. “It- it’s complicated.”

 

Regina squints down at her but before she can tell her how idiotic she sounds, Ruby comes in with a grin on her face.

 

“The B&B is out of rooms because that’s where the Lost Boys are staying, but you can sleep here with me!” Ruby sounds excited and the way she’s leaning towards Emma with excess energy makes Regina think of how Snow doesn’t have much time for friends or grandchildren because of baby Neal. Ruby is lonely, Henry misses his grandmother, and Emma-. Regina doesn’t know about Emma but she suspects it has something to do with Snow.

 

“Are you sure?” Emma turns her head so it’s only her chin propped against the counter. “I can stay in the bug.” Both Ruby and Regina cringe at the same time, and Ruby nods her head enthusiastically.

 

“Yeah, yeah, totally.” Ruby looks almost mad with her head banging and she’s smiling so widely that Regina actually feels sorry for the wolf. Damn Snow.

 

“Thanks, Rubes.” 

 

Ruby skips off after that, promising Emma that she could go up already. 

 

“You should catch up on your sleep, dear.” Regina juts her chin up, pointing to the top floor where Ruby sleeps. 

 

“Aw, but we were having so much fun.” Emma’s got one of her infuriating smirks on that gets ruined by a loud yawn. “Sorry,” she says sheepishly and stands up.

 

“Emma.” She stops looking for her wallet when Regina says her name, and looks up at her.

 

“It’s fine. _I’m_ fine. Thank you, though.” She briefly touches Regina’s arm, squeezing it once before she’s climbing the stairs and leaving an untouched coffee behind.

 

* * *

She picks up Henry after school, it’s cold and windy and her baby isn’t catching a cold on his way home. He’s a flurry of hanging backpacks and a striped scarf, climbing into the front seat with a smile so wide she almost doesn’t want to tell him.

 

“Is she coming?” He bounces in his seat and she brushes his bangs from his forehead before shaking her head. He slumps over almost immediately, so similar to a tired Emma, and hangs his head.

 

“Why not?” He’s whining a little but he’s putting his seat belt on and she takes that as her cue to back out of the school.

 

“She wouldn’t say, Henry. Maybe she wanted a night for herself.”

 

He shakes his head and starts taking his scarf off. “No, she doesn’t _like_ staying alone during the night. We need to convince her, Mom. She can’t stay alone!” 

 

Regina realizes that he’s given this a lot of thought, figured Emma out and wants to help her with whatever she doesn’t want to tell Regina. He’s frantic in his concern and the image, his whole body twisted to face her with an open and concerned face reminds her of Emma and her protective streak.

 

“I’ll try again, sweetheart.” She doesn’t push on why Emma can’t stay alone during the night when she’s almost thirty years old, just drives until they’re parked outside their home.

 

“Henry.” She stops him as he’s unbuckling, one question lodged in her throat that she can’t ignore. “Why does she need a place to sleep?” Emma won’t tell her and she’s considered waiting until the blonde’s ready but Henry seems too worried for this to be a matter of waiting.

 

Henry looks conflicted, tilting his head as if analyzing how much he can tell her. He stays silent for a few seconds and Regina doesn’t kill the car yet, letting the warmth fill the space between them as he decides. Finally, he lets a little breath out and looks her directly in the eye.

 

“I don’t think I should tell you the whole story, but Snow kicked her out.”

 

There’s something heavy in Regina’s stomach, it feels like anger and concern as she thinks of lost girls with wayward mothers, and she can see the same reflected in Henry’s eyes. She nods and brushes her hand over Henry’s hair again.

 

“We’ll get her here, right?” Regina only nods again because even if Emma says it’s complicated, it’s never _too_ complicated that she can’t accept help from her family.

 

Henry opens the door after that, running to the front door and talking fast about all the ways this operation could go, plotting and analyzing. 

 

Regina’s lips stretch into a brittle smile and follows.

 

 

 


	2. a lil bit of food to soften the heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been forever, i know and it's weird because i've had this fic in my mind for so long.
> 
> anyways, i know the whole snow thing hasn't been addressed yet but it's coming up in the next chapter.
> 
> thanks for reading!!

Henry comes stumbling down the stairs the next morning, a notebook wedged tightly under his arm as he rubs his eyes. 

 

His pajama bottoms have risen another inch in the span of a month and her heart twists painfully when she realizes he’ll be her size within the next couple of years. 

 

“Morning,” he mumbles and she tries shaking out of her tired thoughts, choosing to focus on Henry falling gracelessly unto the kitchen counter, right in front of her where she had been reading the morning newspaper.

 

“Good morning, darling. Eggs?” The kitchen is buzzing with the food she’s prepared and she thanks whatever deity still looking down at her that there’s people here to cook for. 

 

Henry nods enthusiastically, already reaching for her cup of coffee in front of her and she smacks his hand away, glaring softly at him.

 

“Emma lets me drink coffee,” he pouts and it doesn’t sound like he resents her for this, like he resented much from her when it came to Emma.

 

“Your mother also has a caffeine and sugar obsession that will land her in the hospital one day.” 

 

Henry chuckles despite her words and waits until there’s a stack of eggs in front of him, spinach and tomato wafting up in the steam.

 

He’s shoving his third spoonful when he decides to talk, and she sets aside the newspaper she had picked up again to listen to him.

 

“So, I think I know how to call the operation,” he mumbles around a mouthful and Regina stares at him until he swallows and apologizes. “Operation Ladon.”

 

Something whirrs in the back of her mind and she sips her coffee until the blurry image her mind conjures sharpens.

 

“The sleepless dragon?”

 

“Yes! From Hercules, remember?” Henry had gone through a very short but thoroughly obsessive period where he’d cut skirts out of paper and hang them on his tiny waist, going around claiming he’d _save you Megara, because I love you!_

 

She’d hide inside the pantry and wait for his little footsteps to stop curiously in front of the door, until he’d bang it open and wave around a rolling pin, proclaiming his heroic intentions with his small brow furrowed and his lips twisted in a very manly pout.

 

“I do,” she says softly and he grins at her before opening the notebook with flourish, allowing her to see _Operation Ladon_ written in his neat handwriting.

 

“We need to recap,” he nods wisely like he’s conducting a very important project, and he _is_ , she guesses, when she remembers Emma’s life-less eyes before greeting her. “Step One: Get rid of Emma Swan’s pride.”

 

Regina chuckles deeply, “Easier said than done, dear.”

 

Sighing, Henry nods and his face scrunches up in thought. 

 

“We need to show her that we want to help because we care, not because we feel pity.” He says after a couple of seconds and Regina’s lips quirk up because he’s come to know Emma _so_ well, and the intuition he has when it comes to her is lovely.

 

“What do you suggest we do? Inviting her to sleep over didn’t work, probably because it was too big of a gesture.” She taps her index finger against her chin and thinks.

 

“But she’s _homeless,_ we need big gestures and fast!” Henry shakes his head and taps his pencil against the notebook.

 

“She’s not homeless, Henry,” she says more sharply than she intended and his brow scrunches up.

 

“But Snow-“

 

“She has a home here, darling, don’t you agree?”

 

The change is immediate, Henry’s scrunched up, pained face softens, his eyes going wide and his mouth quirking into a smile. 

 

“Yeah,” he grins at her knowingly, like he’s put together a piece of the operation without telling her and she raises her eyebrows. “I think our best approach is for you to show her you care. As a friend, _of course_.”

 

Regina’s eyebrows rise higher at Henry’s cheeky grin and her mind comes up blank as to why that would be an awful idea.

 

“I don’t think that will help.” She tries anyways, as Henry continues eating. 

 

“Of course it will! You’re like, her only friend! Then she’ll know that you really are concerned and don’t think of her as a bother.” He waves his fork around, and then points it at her with a dramatic wave.

 

“I’m sure that’s not true. Besides, what makes you think she’ll be interested in my… care?”

 

“Cause she likes you, duh.” At Regina’s sputtering he adds, “and it wouldn’t hurt to show her you like her. You need a friend, too.”

 

Regina stays quiet for a second before she shakes her head and says, “Of course she knows I like her, I invited her into my home. And we’re already _friends_.”

 

It’s true, the two of them have been spending more and more time together without the excuse of seeing Henry and Regina smiles as she recounts the blonde’s shy friendship.

 

Henry seems unimpressed but turns wide eyes to her and says fiercely, “Please, Mom? It might bring her here faster, and she _can’t_ be alone during the night.”

 

And she can’t deny him anything, (not because she cares deeply for the blonde and wants to actually show her her affection, she mentally scoffs) so she pretends to consider this for a second. 

 

“Very well,” she sighs. “How do I,” she waves a hand around, “go about this?”

 

Henry grins and starts talking. 

 

*

 

Step One of Operation Ladon is to invite the blonde to lunch. Henry said building a connection is crucial to Emma 'accepting help'. Regina knows she’s already _established a connection,_ but agrees to Henry’s masterful plan.

 

“Miss Swan, hello.” She says uncharacteristically nervous into her office phone. “I’m glad I reached you.”

 

_“Regina? What’s up?”_ She sounds tired, incredibly so and the brunette looks down to her watch to notice it’s only two in the afternoon.

 

“I was just wondering if you’d like to join me for dinner?”

 

Her mind freezes because she meant to say lunch, Henry’s words bouncing around her head.

 

(“Frequent lunches means you guys are friends.” he explains.

 

“We already eat together every other day!” she sputters as he grins.

 

“Well, it’s obviously not enough!” he yells back and she had stared at him suspiciously.)

 

Apparently she doesn’t need Henry’s coaching when it comes to interacting with Emma because the blonde seems quietly pleased at the offer. 

 

_“Sure! I mean, uh- that sounds great. Should I wait until after the kid’s done his homework?”_

 

Regina smiles then because Emma is no longer nervous to voice parenting decisions like she used to be months ago. She makes a split second decision and clears her throat.

 

“No, he’s spending the afternoon with Ava,” she lies easily enough and sighs in relief when Emma doesn’t pick up on it.

 

_“Great, I’ll see you at 6?”_

 

“Six would be lovely.”

 

_Lovely??_

 

She hangs up with a little color on her cheeks and calls Henry during his break, mumbling softly, casually, that Emma’s coming by for dinner and that he should spend the afternoon with Ava.

 

“Oh, my god,” he whispers, and she clears her throat.

 

“I called her a little too late for a lunch date, Henry, that’s all.” She hates that he’s reading too much into something that clearly is _nothing._

 

“Oh, my _god_.” he says a little louder and she rubs a hand on her forehead. “Mom.”

 

“Yes, dear?”

 

“ _Mom_ ,” he simply repeats.

 

“Oh, for god’s sa-“ and she hangs up on him.

 

*

 

_ask her about her day!!!!_

 

Henry’s message reads and Regina rolls her eyes, glancing at a stumbling Emma taking her shoes off.

 

_I do know how to interact with people,_ she types back, flustered.

 

“How was you day, dear?” She asks anyways, just as Emma’s throwing her coat on the back of her pristine couch.

 

“So boring, except for-” and she launches into a very descriptive story about how David accidentally locked himself inside one of the holding cells. Her phone pings in the middle of it and she discreetly looks down.

 

_did you give her flowers ;)_

 

Regina chokes on air and shakes her head, and Emma pauses to look at her quizzically, dark bas scrunching under her green eyes. The two are setting the dinner table together and Regina’s heart had warmed when the blonde placed her plate next to hers.

 

_I’m not trying to court your mother,_ she types furiously while Emma goes to get the forks, eerily familiar with her kitchen.

 

c _ould have fooled me!!!_

 

She turns her phone off after that, and shoves it into her pocket just as Emma walks in smiling lightly. 

 

“What are we having? It smells like heaven,” Emma compliments and Regina bites her cheek to keep from smiling.

 

“Green enchiladas,” she says, just as she brushes past Emma and she hears her small intake of breath.

 

“ _Really_?!” Emma yells, and Regina smirks, knowing full well that the blonde almost fell comatose once, after eating just one forkful. “What’s the occasion?”

 

“I just know you enjoy them, dear.” She calls from the kitchen, taking the food out of the oven and placing it with flourish in the middle of the table.

 

Emma’s eyes go wide and Regina is thoroughly enjoying how the blonde flicks the tip of her tongue against her teeth.

 

Just as Regina’s sitting down, taking a napkin to smooth over her lap, Emma’s phone goes off and the blonde groans, retracing a hand that was already reaching for the food.

 

“Sheriff Swan,” she whines into the speaker and rubs a hand down the side of her tired face. “ _Seriously?_ Yeah, okay. I’ll be right there.” She hangs up without so much as a goodbye and looks at the food longingly.

 

“Something wrong?” She tires to keep the disappointment out of her voice because it’s, first of all, not supposed to be there at all, and smoothes a crinkle out.

 

“Yeah,” Emma pouts at the steaming enchiladas, “the Lost Boys are vandalizing a couple of buildings at the same time and David needs back-up.”

 

Green eyes tear themselves from the food to grimace apologetically at Regina. 

 

Regina nods, mentally cursing the Lost Boys' perfect timing while Emma stands up.

 

“This was really nice, though. I’m sorry I gotta go, but uh- can I take some of this? I haven’t eaten.” Emma shrugs, suddenly nervous and places her hands in her back pocket. 

 

Regina’s mouth opens and closes and before she knows it, she’s blurting the first thing that pops into her mind.

 

“I didn’t cook your favorite dish so you could eat it out of tupperware,” she reprimands and Emma’s eyes grow a little wider, her lips parting slightly. “No, you’ll simply have to come back after doing your job.”

 

“Uh-“

 

“I’ll leave this in the oven while you’re gone.” She stands up and takes the dish back to the oven, covering it with foil. When she comes back to the dining room, Emma’s still standing with a shocked look on her face.

 

“But, aren’t you- won’t you get hungry?” Emma questions, flailing her hand around.

 

“Possibly. You better hurry, now.” And she walks straight to the foyer, Emma shuffling behind her, stuttering out a million thank you’s.

 

She bites her lips as she considers what she’s just done. Henry _did_ say to establish a connection so as to show the blonde that she cared, but she hadn’t even been thinking about the operation when she offered to wait for Emma. It had come… _naturally_ to offer a little kindness and it had definitely been worth it, seeing Emma’s tired eyes light up and shine brightly in tones of vibrant green. 

 

Choosing not to dwell too much on it, as Henry no doubt would do when he found out, she hands the Sheriff her coat and bids her a warm farewell.

 

The blonde waves from her yellow monstrosity once, enthusiastically as if it came all the way from her elbow, making Regina chuckle as she closes the door and leans against it. 

 

She decides to do some light reading, ignoring her fluttering heart, while she waits for the Sheriff.

 

*

 

“Mom.”

 

“Henry,” she mimics.

 

“Are you ready to talk about it yet?”

 

“No.”

 

“Mom.”

 

“I didn’t raise you to be a snoop, Henry.”

 

“Nope, but you did raise me to me honest.”

 

“Curse my enviable parenting skills,” she says dryly.

 

“ _Mom_.”

 

“I have to go, the house is burning down.”

 

“Mo-“

 

*

 

Emma comes back an hour and twenty three minutes later, bone tired.

 

Her feet drag as Regina welcomes her back, but she perks up when she notices the table is already set up and all that’s missing is her bottom placed on a seat.

 

“How was it, dear?” she says gently because Emma lips are downturned even as she serves herself more than a couple of enchiladas.

 

She sighs dramatically and gives Regina a scowl. “I chased fifteen of those brats. _Fifteen_.”

 

Regina hums, cutting her food and she’s about to open her mouth when the blonde continues.

 

“But it’s not like it’s _their_ fault, we practically uprooted them from their home and then stuck them in a tiny orphanage, where there’s like, five boys to a tiny room. I mean, there’s worse places to sleep, “ Regina cringes, “but it’s not fair!” Emma stabs her food and chews furiously. 

 

“Well-“

 

“And they’re in a society where the rules are _different_ and they’re fed up because we promised them a _home_ , for everybody and what did we do? We _forgot_ about them, sent them to the Enchanted Forest after they’d gotten used to _indoor plumbing_ and _then_ brought them back to this place where a wicked witch kept turning people into _monkeys_!”

 

Emma pauses to drink from her water and then takes a deep breath, ignoring Regina’s opening mouth.

 

“I mean, I’d start drawing dicks on the side of the Sheriff’s station if I were in their place. Hell, I’ve drawn my fair share of-“

 

“Dear.”

 

“Flowers, back in my day,” Emma finishes apologetically. She finishes the last of her enchiladas and serves herself more, completely missing the pleased look in Regina’s face as she reaches for the spatula.

 

“I’m sorry I haven’t found more than a temporary solution.” Regina offers, more than a little guilty after hearing Emma’s impassioned speech.

 

Emma stops chewing, cheeks full and nearly bursting before she shakes her head, her eyes wide. 

 

“It’s not your fault. There’s- a lot happened in between all the witch fights.” Emma sighs and then looks nervously at her from the corner of her eyes. “Can I tell you something?”

 

“Of course,” Regina says too quickly, her fingers twitching.

 

Emma scoots her chair closer to Regina, and the brunette leans in from her place at the head of the table. 

 

“I have a plan. I’m gonna build a bigger orphanage and then start like, a foster system of sorts here.” Emma smiles shyly and Regina’s heart melts at the sight.

 

“Emma-“

 

“I know, I know,” she leans back, “it’s not the greatest idea, but it’s a start and then maybe we could look into a kind of pro-“

 

“Emma, de-“

 

“-gram where the kids have their own place to study or, tutor, or something like that, like a rec center. I mean, we need a lot of money, but I already have a fundraiser in mind and, remember Thomas?” 

 

Regina frowns, opening her mouth again to speak before being cut off again, “of course you don’t, I don’t think you met him. Anyways, his dad was like a king or something so he’s kinda rich _and_ I have a meeting set up next week to talk about like, donations and stuff.” 

 

She finishes off in one swift breath, her fork dangling from her fingers as she stares at Regina.

 

“I think that’s a great idea.” Regina nods, impressed with the planning the blonde already has in place.

 

Emma sags a little, but Regina has the feeling it’s not at having the blessing of the Mayor, but at not having to fight for this to happen. She knows without a doubt Emma would have gone forward without her approval.

 

“Yeah?” Emma questions, finally resuming eating.

 

“Yes,” Regina follows suit, chewing quickly before adding, “Of course, you’ll need to set up a meeting with the fair-“

 

The rest of the evening is spent with Regina pitching ideas and the blonde nodding her head enthusiastically, both moving closer and closer to each other as the moments pass by.

 

When Henry asks her much later, right before she goes to sleep, how the ‘date’ went, Regina merely hums and slides into her bed with a fluttering heart.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading, let me know what you think!

“Miss Lucas,” Regina slides up the diner’s counter coat in hand, smiling a little too innocently, “how _are_ you?”

 

Ruby side-eyes her with enough suspicion for Regina to tone her smile down, and the waitress moves away from her slowly.

 

“Fine, Madam Mayor?”

 

“Oh, Regina’s fine.” 

 

“Uh-“

 

“Tell me, _how is Emma sleeping_?” She catches the waitress off-guard, leaning forward as much as she can but it isn’t enough for Regina to receive an answer because Ruby’s eyes grow wide and she moves away from her with startling speed.

 

“I simply want to know if she’s well-rested!” Regina follows her from the opposite end of the counter, stopping short when Ruby disappears behind the kitchen.

 

She sighs and waits, drums her fingers on the counter and counts to ten before the brunette exits the kitchen with a pot of coffee. 

 

“Miss Lucas,” she steps direct in front of her when the younger woman tries walking past her.

 

“ _Ugh_ , Regina this is a breach of friendship!”

 

“Don’t be dramatic, dear. I’m simply worried, that’s all.”

 

“Why don’t you wait until she _tells_ you for herself?” Ruby looks around the diner, whispering furiously.

 

“Has she told _you_ anything?” Regina crosses her arms over her chest. 

 

Blowing air out of her cheeks, Ruby says, “ _No_ , but I’ve noticed…things.”

 

“Like?”

 

“Like the fact that she’s a private person and wouldn’t like it if she found out you were snoopin’!” Ruby shoulders past her, more than a little nervous. 

 

Regina looks out the window where her car is parked, Henry peering through the tinted windows. With a shake of her head, she lets Henry know how Step Two went. 

 

*

 

“Can’t we get her drunk and make her spend the night? That’s a good excuse, right?”

 

“We’re not inebriating your _mother_ , Henry. Honestly.”

 

“Okay, how about we watch a movie and feed her so much sugar she _has_ to fall asleep?! We’ll have a Harry Potter marathon, she hates the third movie and always falls asleep in the middle of it.”

 

“That… _could_ work.”

 

“Call her!”

 

“Why can’t _you_ call her?”

 

“Because I’m not the one with a crush on her.”

 

“A text message should suffice.”

 

*

 

“Miss Swan, would you be willing to join Henry and me for a night of adolescent movies and diabetes-inducing sugar treats?” Henry reads the text message from her phone, his eyebrows rising in surprise at every word. 

 

“Well? Hit send, dear.” She’s not nervous, she just wants to have Step Three over with already so she can fall asleep at night knowing the Savior is not having a quarter life crisis in the form of insomnia. 

 

“Mom, this is- this is _medieval_ talk.”

 

“Well, I _was_ a queen in medie-“

 

Henry shakes his head and hits the backspace button, all her hard work going down the drain. He smiles smugly, positively tittering and hands the phone back.

 

_Movies tonight, bring snacks unless you want to share with Henry. 5:30 p.m._

 

“Did you hit send already?!”

 

“You’re _welcome_.”

 

“Henry Dan-“ Her phone pings with an unread text message and Henry tries snatching the phone from her clutches.

 

_cooool but we’re eating PIZZA and WINGS!!!_

 

She scoffs and smiles a little, her lips quirking without her permission. Henry moves to her, shouldering her as he tries to read whatever Emma sent.

 

_I already made puttanesca_

 

“What did she _say_?” Henry whines, peering over her shoulder. She moves to the kitchen, staring down at her phone as she waits for a reply, to stir the spaghetti.

 

_i’m pretty sure you just called me puta???_

 

A laugh bubbles in her chest and threatens to come out, but she stifles it, knowing full well that Henry’s examining her.

 

“She agreed to come over, Hen- stop looking over my shoulder!” He tries snatching the phone again, but she’s quicker than him, maneuvering around his greedy hands and rounding the kitchen island. 

 

Her phone pings again and her lips quirk even higher.

 

_but can we eat wings AND putas????_

 

She can’t control the laugh that escapes her mouth, but she _can_ glare at Henry when he grins smugly at her. She’s too distracted typing back that she doesn’t notice Henry creeping next to her.

 

“Yeah, Mom, can we eat wings too?! We can eat them in the fort!” His other mission forgotten, he says something about taking the sheets off his bed and takes off.

 

She sighs and erases what she’d already written.

 

_Yes, but you need to help me convince Henry not to build a fort in the middle of my living room._

 

She really doesn’t require any help, because she already knows that Henry’s going to spin this little project as part of Operation Ladon, and she'll let him do whatever he wants tonight, but she’s having fun talking to Emma.

 

She stirs the sauce and washes out the pasta, before there’s another ping.

 

_a fort???? ok i’ll bring pillows_

 

She finally places the the phone down, smiling widely now that nobody’s watching her, and set out to dice some garlic, excited for the night.

 

*

 

Emma arrives with five pillows, smiling widely on Regina’s porch steps as she greets her. She hugs them close to her body, as well as she can while balancing two plastic bags, and stumbles into the house after receiving an amused shake of the head from the brunette. 

 

Henry’s already set up all the necessary materials by the couch, pillows, sheets, blankets, brooms, chairs, and even a bucket. Emma dumps the pillows, all white and very large, on the couch, as well as one of the bags she’s clutching. 

 

She follows Regina to the kitchen, humming happily as Henry’s footsteps come thundering down the stairs.

 

“Ma!” he yells, and launches himself at her waist. A flicker of surprise passes the blonde’s face, and then she relaxes into the bear hug. 

 

“Hey, kid. Ready to build a fort?” The both bounce on the balls of their feet, two five year olds taking too much space while Regina tries to finish cooking. 

 

“Yeess!” He says, pumping his first in the air and the two turn to Regina, identical expressions of begging. 

 

“Dinner first.”

 

Two sets of shoulders slump and Regina smothers down a grin.

 

*

 

Dinner is _fun_ , with Henry and Emma sitting on opposite sides of Regina, eating heartily and making jokes. Emma looks ten times better today, all happy grins and loud laughs. Still, there’s something wrong about it all, Regina can sense some kind of shimmering magic around her pale face, something that keeps her from noticing previous dark bags and tired eyes.

 

The three retire to the living room after eating, Henry and Emma wasting no time to start excitingly building their little fort.

 

Except the little fort turns out to require upending both of her couches and moving the coffee table to the _kitchen_ , blankets and chairs and couches taking up the entirety of the living room.

 

“Where am I going to sit?” She asks as Emma delves inside the tent. 

 

Henry’s head pops out of the tent, brown hair mussed and cheeks flushed. “Inside, duh.”

 

Emma’s head pops out next, grinning madly as she repeats, “Duh.”

 

And so she takes off her heels, muttering the whole time about questionable influences and decides to crawl neatly into the large fort. There’s pillows everywhere, blankets set out to cover the hard floor. She recognizes her bedroom pillows in one corner and her master restroom towels resting on the floor. She’s about to comment, because _really, Emma_ , but the blonde chooses that moment to plug something in, and the fort illuminates with tiny lights all around them.

 

“Awesome!” Henry yells, and settles between the two of them, laying down as he turns on the large T.V in front of the fort. 

 

The first movie appears and Emma loudly opens the tin of wings, slurping obnoxiously and handing the tin blindly to Henry. The two are engrossed from the start, the little wizard boy still capturing their attention even if it’s the millionth time they watch it. 

 

She doesn’t bother looking at the movie. Instead, she peers over Henry’s head and looks at the blonde, pleased to see her laying comfortable against her pillows. She’s moving her lips along with the movie, knowing every line, and her green eyes still go wide whenever something dramatic happens. 

 

The first movie is over fast enough, and Emma crawls forward to insert the next one, Regina's eyes following her every move. She disappears for a couple of minutes after that, but comes back with two very large, and very messy bowls of popcorn.

 

Regina wants to object, wants to stop her foot down and demand justice over her lovely sheets, but Emma looks so relaxed and happy as she settles down again, that the brunette’s mouth stays shut. 

 

It’s nearing eleven when Emma’s eyes start to droop, and Henry, completely forgetting his operation, keeps watching the movie with interest.

 

The third is starting when the empty popcorn bowl falls from Emma’s limp hands, but Regina doesn’t go to wake her up. She doesn’t really care for the operation now, content on having her family sit with her and watch hours worth of their favorite movies. She’ll wake Emma up once the third movie is over, and then invite her to spend the night. 

 

When Buckbeak is about to be slaughtered, Regina’s eyes start to flutter, the warm atmosphere around her causing her mind to slow down until her vision turns black, sleep overcoming her. 

 

*

 

_There’s something terribly wrong._

 

Her eyes shoot open, startling her awake. There’s a second where she doesn’t know where she is, doesn’t understand the horrible noise around her or the wild movements, but then her mind settles on panic mode when she doesn’t notice Henry next to her. She sits up, the sleep completely gone from her eyes. 

 

The world is falling on top of her, blankets and towels showering her down, obscuring her vision. She catches a brief glimpse of Emma trashing around, her foot kicking the broom that kept the blankets up, and then everything falls.

 

The blonde is screaming bloody murder, alternating between crying and shouting _‘no, please no,’_ and Regina tears sheets apart trying to make her way to her. 

 

“Emma!” she yells as loud as she can, because the blonde’s screams are overpowering everything else, and she finally sees a lock of blonde under trashing sheets. 

 

Tearing them away from Emma, Regina kneels beside the blonde, letting her fists hit her and her knees flail around. 

 

“Emma!” She repeats, careful not to touch the blonde. There’s a white glow around Emma, shimmering slightly and Regina knows that she won’t wake up unless the magic leaves her body. Taking a stuttering breath, Regina opens her palms over Emma and thinks of warm smiles and blonde hair, until the white halo retreats to Emma’s still trashing body. 

 

“Wake up, my dear,” falls involuntarily out of Regina’s mouth. Emma’s eyes remain closed, but she’s no longer screaming. Instead, she’s whimpering, wrapping her arms around herself and crying openly. “Emma,” she says one last time, and the blonde’s eyes open quickly.

 

She sits up abruptly, smacking foreheads with the hovering brunette and she sits there, clutching her head and breathing deeply until she takes stock of her surroundings. 

 

Green eyes grow wide as she notices the lights have gone off, the blankets strewn all around her, buckets and brooms scattered on the floor and finally, her eyes, blood-shot and terrified, land of Regina. 

 

“Emma, are you al-“ She reaches out to touch, her, stroke her hair, anything, when the blonde’s mouth opens and closes in fear or embarrassment, before she stands up shakily and runs out the door, leaving behind a torn Regina.

 


End file.
